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Environmental Requirements |
Core Environmental Performance Characteristics |
3.1 Fitness for Purpose
Certified products should be good performers in their intended application. It is implied that certain standards of product performance are implicit in the label. For example certified products must meet the requirements of the Australian Carpet Classification Scheme
(ACCS) |
The Cavalier Bremworth carpets GT002 & GT005 have undergone testing in relation to abrasion, colour fastness to light, colour fastness to rubbing, colour fastness to shampooing, delamination of backing fabric, durability and tuff withdrawal force as outlined in the relevant New Zealand Environmental Choice Standard. As all product lines have been in the market for some time GECS do expect that the properties of these products currently exhibit good fitness for purpose. |
Warranty Protection
3.1.3 Certified products must carry a minimum two-year warranty for colour fastness.
3.1.4 Wool carpets shall offer a standard product warranty of 10 years.
3.1.5 Wool modular carpets shall offer a standard product warranty of 12 years. |
The warranty terms for Cavalier Bremworth carpets have been reviewed by GECS. Under medium and heavy use the warranty period is of 15 years and 12 years respectively, however under extra heavy traffic the warranty period is for 8-10 years. As this usage is difficult to monitor, and the warranty terms are otherwise acceptable, this criterion is deemed to have been met. |
Insect Resistance
Wool carpets must be treated against carpet moth and carpet beetle attack to the minimum requirements of the ACCS or Woolmark/ Woolmark Blend E10 specification, or the Wool Interiors specification. |
The products under assessment have undergone insect resistance treatment at the dye-houses. A chemical is shown to be added above the minimum required levels to the following product families: GT001, GT002, GT004 & GT005. GT006 is exempt from this criterion. |
3.2 Requirements for Wool scours
3.2.1 Heavy effluent shall be discharged either:
A. to a municipal sewage treatment plant where the sewage is physically separated and receives secondary and tertiary treatment before discharge, and the appropriate permit is held,
Or
B. to an appropriate contained treatment system where effluent cannot flow directly into water bodies and any discharge is of a suitable quality for the receiving environment. Suitable treatment systems are anaerobic digestion, evaporation/incineration or land disposal covered by a Discharge Consent (or equivalent). |
Heavy effluent is discharged to the Napier City wastewater systems and is milliscreened by the council before discharge to the ocean. Napier City council holds a permit for discharge of trade wastewater, and reports annually to the regional council with regards to effect on the environment from this discharge. |
3.2.2 Discharge of Rinse Water Effluent
Rinse water effluent shall only be discharged directly into water bodies if the discharge is covered by a Resource Consent (or equivalent) and if the discharge when fully mixed does not raise the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) level of the water body by more than 2.5mg/l. In a flowing water body, full mixing shall be considered to have occurred at a point downstream of the discharge equivalent to 10 times the width of the water body. In a static water body, full mixing shall be considered to have occurred at a point 200m from the discharge. |
The discharge of Cavalier Bremworth’s water effluent is subject to Napier City Council’s resource consent, the company is in compliance with conditions set by this licence. |
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3.2.3 Wool grease content in the primary effluent, before discharge or treatment, does not exceed 40 kg/tonne of greasy wool scoured. |
Monitoring over a 12 month period has shown that calculated woolgrease in the tradewaste is 19.56kg/tonne. This figure is in compliance with the requirements of this criterion. |
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3.2.4 Total water use measured at the water intake shall not exceed 30,000 l/tonne of greasy wool scoured. Measurement of water use shall be continuous. |
SCADA tracking of water has shown levels below 30,000 1/tonne at the scouring facility. |
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3.2.5 Total useful energy used for the greasy wool scouring shall not exceed 4.0 GJ/tonne of greasy wool scoured (excluding the energy use of water treatment facilities). |
Previous reports have shown energy use at the facilities was lower then the requirements of this criterion during the period of June 2005-2006. |
3.2.6 Alkyl phenol-based detergents
Wool which is destined for carpet shall not be scoured with alkyl phenol-based detergents. |
A review of the Products data sheet, MSDS and Technical Information Bulletin have shown compliance with the requirements of this criteria. |
3.2.7 Synthetic Pyrethroids
Wool destined for carpet shall not be insect-resist treated with synthetic pyrethroids during the scouring process. |
No insect-resistance treatment is applied during the scouring process. |
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3.3.1 The Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) level in the dye house effluent shall not exceed 35 kg/tonne of fiber dyed. |
Test results from Industrial Chemical Services 08/02/07 has shown COD for the dyehouse effluent to be 28.4kg/tonne, this figure is in compliance with the requirements of this criterion. |
3.3.2 Insect resistance treatment
Insect-resist agent shall not be applied during opening, carding or spinning operations.
If permethrin or bifenthrin insect resist agents are used, the levels of these agents in total factory effluent shall not exceed:
- < 0.1 ug/L for discharge to an open environment
- < 0.2mg/L for municipal treatment systems
Relevant water factory effluent includes effluent from the scour and effluent from the dye baths. |
Insect resist treatment for the products under assessment is only applied in dye baths. |
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3.3.3 Spinning lubricant additions shall not exceed 3% of the weight of wool. |
Independent test results for July 2005- June 2006 have shown the lubricant additions to be at acceptable levels, of less than 3%. |
3.3.4 Characteristics of Fiber destined for carpet manufacture
Must have the following characteristics:
- Dyeing using after-chroming techniques shall not be used
- Effluent from the dye house shall not contain more than 2000ppm chromium
- Fluorochemical finishes shall not be used
- Sulphonated phenolic stainblockers shall not be used
- Yarn scouring surfactants shall be readily biodegradable.
- Total organophosphate pesticide content of the wool fiber shall not exceed 0.5ppm
- Total organic chlorine pesticide content of the wool fiber shall not exceed 0.1ppm |
No after chroming techniques are used, A spreadsheet maintained by the technical manager shows levels of chromium are at an average of 110 mg/Kg. Flurochemical finishes or stainblockers are not used. The scouring surfactant is readily biodegradable according to the manufacturer and this is evident following a review of MSDS. Total organophospates, measured at four sources in NZ have shown levels were 0.3 ppm, and no organic chlorine levels were detected. |
3.4 Supply of Cotton
Wool carpet shall be sourced only from manufacturing facilities which ensure that cotton used in the construction of carpet is unbleached. |
No cotton is used in the products under assessment. This criteria is not applicable. |
3.5 Finished Product
3.5.1 Emission Rates
Certified products must demonstrate certain following emissions rates when measured using Carpet and Rug Institute Green Label Plus Program for the complete carpet tile and broadloom, a TVOC emission rate of 0.5 mg/m2 per hour or less after 14 days. |
GECS have reviewed test results from Analytical Testing Services, which show total VOC emissions from carpet samples below 0.5 mg/m2 per hour. These tests do not state that the carpet was more than 14 days old, and are unspecific with regard to the samples and their correlation to products. |
3.5.2 Air Emissions
Certified products must demonstrate compliance to the Carper and Rug Institute Green Label Plus or demonstrate via independent testing compliance to another internationally recognized VOC Standard acceptable to GECA. |
Cavalier Bremworth have submitted to GECA test results for sample products from each group, excluding GT003. The following product groups have been shown to comply to this criterion: GT001, GT002, GT004, GT005 & GT006. |
3.6.1 The manufacturers recommended adhesives for installation shall be Water based, pressure sensitive, low VOC adhesives. Adhesives certified to the GECA 1 – Adhesives 2005 Standard or are compliant to the Carpet and Rug Institute Green Plus Air Emissions Label automatically qualify as compliant to this criteria.
3.6.2 The total VOC of the adhesives must be a maximum of 5% by weight of the final product excluding water. |
Cavalier Bremworth can recommend the following adhesives for use with their certified products: Roberts 80 Solvent Free Carpet Adhesive Low Odour Formulation,
Roberts 679 Carpet Latex
Roberts 656 Pressure sensitive Adhesive.
Other adhesives intended for recommendation are high in VOCs and therefore non-complaint with this criteria.
If Cavalier Bremworth wish to recommend Tradex 100 as instructed, GECS will require a concise MSDS for review prior to allowing this. |
3.7 Waste Minimisation and Management
3.7.1 Modular Commercial Wool Carpet products must be sold with a service offering to customers that includes rotation and replacement of worn tiles
3.7.2 Product Stewardship
Manufacturers of certified products must have either:
- an existing product stewardship program offering product take back at end of life for the certified product range or
- an active program to implement such a system throughout its Australian markets.
Demonstration of an active program must include documentation considering at a minimum potential material flows for carpet collected at end of life and internal documentation confirming the establishment and function of a take back research program. |
Cavalier Bremworth are developing a program to use old carpet for Geo-textile in stabilizing terrain. GECS are satisfied that this requirement is met, conditional that Cavalier Bremworth commit to this program and inform customers of their ability to accept carpet at its end-of-life. |
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